Letter written on 10 Aug 1963 am

From 1957 to 1968, Osho wrote many letters to Babulal Ji Deriya, of Babai (MP), India. The wiki has images of thirteen, believed for now to be all of them. Most are written on postcards. This one is written on one of Osho's earliest letterheads, from his days in Napier Town in Jabalpur. See Deriya Ji's page or Osho's manuscript letters for links to all these letters.

No envelope or address is available for this letter. In most of his other letters to Deriya Ji, he would address him as "Poojya Deriya Ji" or "Shraddheya Deriya Ji" (venerable, honoured), later using the more familiar "Priya Deriya Ji" (dear, beloved). Here he has taken an unusual approach with "To Shri Babulal Ji Deriya 'Swarajyanand'," an odd mix of Deriya Ji's full name and the sly "Swarajyanand", both a reference to Deriya Ji's honoured past as an Indian Freedom Fighter and the name he would give him eight years later when he took sannyas. This was followed by an informal "Priya atman" (Beloved soul), which he came to adopt for many he wrote to later.

This letter is dated 10th August 1963 in the morning. An English translation was published in Sw Ageh Bharti's book Beloved Osho, and likely the Hindi original version was published previously in one of Ageh's Hindi books. It is said also to be in line to be published eventually in a larger edition of Prem Ke Swar (प्रेम के स्वर) (as letter #66), though this development appears not to be fast-tracked. In the letter, Osho mentions upcoming speaking engagements in Bombay 22-23 Aug, Indore before that and Bhopal after.

आचार्य रजनीश ११५, नेपियर टाउन, जबलपुर (म.प्र.) श्री बाबुलाल जी डेरिया "स्वराज्यानंद" को, प्रिय आत्मन्, प्रणाम। आपका पत्र मिला है। बहुत ख़ुशी हुई। मैं बम्बई २२ और २३ अगस्त को बोल रहा हूँ। उसके पूर्व इंदौर और पश्चात् भोपाल भी बोलूँगा। पर बोलने को क्या है ? जो मौन में जाना जाता है वह शब्द में बंधता नहीं है। शब्द के बादल सत्य के अनंत नीलाकाश के बहुत निचे ही छूट जाते हैं। अद् भुत हैः जब तक स्वयं ही सत्य नहीं है और जब सत्य आता है तब -- उसके आगमन के पूर्व ही स्वयं को मिट जाना होता है। चलते हैं खोजने होजाता है खोना। ' हेरत हेरत हे सखी रह् या कबीर हिराई।' ऐसा ही कुछ हुआ है। खोगया हूँ। शब्द खोगये हैं, ' स्वयं ' खोगया हूँ; क्योंकि वह भी एक शब्द के अतिरिक्त और क्या है ? शब्द ही संसार है : निःशब्द होना ब्रम्ह में होना है। इस निःशब्द को कैसे कहें ? केवल इशारे ही होसकते हैं। और वे भी बहुत अधूरे और अपंग। और सत्य से बहुत दूर जो कहा जासकता है वह धर्म नहीं है। xxx मिलने की प्रतीक्षा है। २१ अग. को दोपहर बम्बई पहुँचूंगा। शेष शुभ। अनंत आनंद में हूँ। सबको विनम्र प्रणाम। रजनीश के प्रणाम प्रभातः १० अगस्त १९६३

Partial translation

"Dear Atman,

Pranam. Your letter is received – I am very pleased. I will be talking at Bombay on 22nd and 23rd. Before that I will be talking at Indore and afterwards at Bhopal."

...

Awaiting to meet – I will be reaching Bombay on 21st Aug, afternoon. Rest OK. I am in endless bliss. My humble pranam to all.

Rajneesh Ke Pranam

Morning: 10 August 1963"

(Note: in Letter written on 15 Aug 1963 Osho changed his time of visit to Bombay: "I will go by plane to Bombay on 20th morning. There the program his on 20 - 21 - 22 and 23. I will start back on 23rd evening.")

See also

Letters to Deriya Ji ~ 12 - The event of this letter.